The present invention relates to the treatment of solid wastes and particularly to processes suitable for the treatment of wastes which are or are suspected to be contaminated with plutonium or compounds thereof.
Published GB 2229312A by the present applicants describes an aqueous medium comprising a solution which was designed for the purpose of dissolving, to enable separation of, actinides contained in so-called Magnox sludge resulting from the long-term storage underwater of irradiated nuclear fuel encased in containers made of Magnox, a magnesium alloy. U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,999 describes the extension of the use of that solution to washing of contaminated soil.
The said solution herein referred to as "Solution X" is as follows:
Solution X comprises an aqueous solution which is free of heavy metal ions (prior to use thereof) and comprises ingredients which are naturally degradable to non-toxic products with or without mild physical assistance such as heat or ultra-violet radiation, said solution comprising:
(a) carbonated water; PA1 (b) a conditioning agent; and PA1 (c) a complexing agent which comprises the anion of a single or multiple carboxylic acid species having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms in each such carboxylic acid species. PA1 (i) actinides or their radioactive decay products or compounds thereof; PA1 (ii) fission products; PA1 (iii) heavy metals or compounds thereof.
We have discovered that Solution X unexpectedly and beneficially has other applications. The said Solution X may be used in the treatment of plutonium contaminated wastes as follows: